The little village of Ahascragh is situated 8km north-west
of Ballinasloe on the Ahascragh/Bunowen River – a tributary
of the River Suck. Just west of the village lies the former
Clonbrock Estate with its late 18th century mansion of the
Dillon family, one of the most important seats of the landed
gentry of County Galway in the 19th century.
The village gets it's name from the Irish Ath H'oiseir (Ford
of Oscar) which in turn get's it's name from the Ford of the
Sandy Ridges which forms part of the Esker Reada that runs
across Ireland. Saint Cuan is the Patron saint of the
village. His death is recorded in the Annals of the Four
Masters in 788 A.D. Also in the Annals of the Four Masters
there is reference to the battle of Ahascragh in 1307
between the English forces and the O'Kelly Chieftains.
Nowadays the village can be described as "a typical bit of
old Ireland, with many characteristics of the past".
